Have you heard about the six-part documentary series currently airing on the OWN network called, The Hair Tales? It covers a wide range of topics on the hair of Black American women. Produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tracee Ellis Ross, it is, in a word, phenomenal. Through in-person single and group interviews, videos, photographic essays, and musings, it chronicles and examines the lived experiences that Black women have historically had with their hair, within the contexts of the personal, the political, and the cultural aesthetics of their lives. These experiences fall into a plethora of feelings, senses, and emotions: epic, beautiful, endlessly creative, inspiring, celebrated, frightening, condemned, banned, and everything else you can imagine.

Watching the first two segments of The Hair Tales reminded me of my own career in the hair care business, which began in 1978 as the owner of one of the first professional natural hair salons in America, Khamit Kinks. At a time when Black women found themselves in need of options and solutions for regular hair care, our salon emerged as a go-to provider where they could expect high-quality, expert care by knowledgeable and professional hair care aestheticians and stylists. We provided a comfortable and relaxing environment – great music always set the tone in the background – and our walls were adorned with the Black visual art of the ‘80’s, ‘90’s, and beyond. Our emphasis was on the health of the clients’ hair, so we required initial consultations and would sometimes decline our clients’ preferences if we felt those choices would be damaging to the hair; I believe our patrons appreciated that. The ever-so-fragrant hair oils we used – herbal, medicinal, golden blossom, etc. -- were in such demand, that we ended up marketing them for sale. In fact, Khamit Kinks became the standard bearer for how a natural hair care salon should look and feel. Our professional, whole-person approach, coupled with the rich visual aesthetics of our environment, made us a special destination for out-of-state, as well as international travelers, both women and men, seeking a memorable, high-quality salon experience.

Khamit Kinks Atlantic Avenue -Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

Against this backdrop, the unique styles that my staff and I created for well-known celebrities were featured on the covers and in the pages of Essence magazine throughout the 1990’s. I am fortunate enough to have braided and styled the hair of Oprah Winfrey (twice) and believe me, she has the thickest head of hair I have ever done. My clients also included Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Stevie Wonder, Iman, Angela Bassett, Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, Terry McMillan, Lisa Fischer, Lisa Price, Alfre Woodard, Brandi, Toni Braxton, Dianne Reeves, Spike Lee (for his movie Crooklyn), Teyonah Parris, Lion Babe (when she was 5 years old), and more. Other celebrities handled by my stylists included Solange Knowles and Lenny Kravitz. Swoon!

The styles created by Khamit Kinks allowed brides to realize that natural hairstyles could be just as sophisticated and elegant as straight hairstyles. Thankfully, there were also our many loyal clients who followed us from Harlem (1979-1987) to my garden floor brownstone salon in Bedford Stuyvesant Brooklyn (1987-1998). When the salon outgrew my brownstone, we headed to TriBeCa (1998-2006). When rents in TriBeCa more than doubled, we headed back to Brooklyn and settled on Gold Street (2006-2011). Our last location was on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill Brooklyn (2011-2019.) We thank you, one and all; we thrived because of you.

Khamit Kinks Bridal Style for @Munaluchi Bride

Dozens of natural hairstylists were trained and established their careers under my tutelage. Upon mastering these skills, they were able to make lifestyle choices that they enjoyed and were proud of, such as purchasing their own homes, and supporting family members in their countries of origin. Some were young teens when they began with me, and were able to make a living braiding hair while they were in college. Young adult women (and men) employed at Khamit Kinks were able to provide for their families, have careers, and put their children through college. Some went on to open their own natural hair businesses, while others left the industry and became prominent in various fields of work. I am very grateful for all of them and their artistry, integrity, and dedication. Without them, there wouldn’t have been a Khamit Kinks, because I could not have achieved all that I did on my own without a loyal and dynamic team.

So, what’s in a name? Meaning and description! Khamit Kinks translates to African Hair. “Khamit” was the original name of Egypt before it was invaded by foreigners and changed. “Kinks” describes the naturally coily texture of the hair of people of African descent. From the very beginning, I always coined meaningful names for the natural hairstyles I created. At one point, I saw a sister on the street with an incredibly twisted style, and when I inquired, she replied that she’d had her hair done in Senegal. So, in 1984, off to Senegal, I flew to learn how to do this style, which I called, Senegalese Twists. While there, I saw another captivating style -- long, large, single plaits -- which I adopted and named Casamas Braids, after a Senegalese town called Casamance. Our large, oversized cornrows, which I fittingly named Goddess Braids, were hugely popular. Trini Braids were a nod to the Trinidadian stylist, Shelly Holder, who created that style in my salon. Looping was a technique used to create rugs, and we used that same technique to create textured weaves. Others later called it Crochet Braids, but there is no crocheting involved, so the name Crochet Braids never made sense to me. Our other hairstyles included Pixie Braids, Baby Curl Twists, Bush Baby Weaves or Textured Weaves, etc. You can check out many of our creations on Khamit Kinks Pinterest Page.

When I later learned that, in California, my Casamas Braids had become known as Dookie Braids, I cringed. This is the kind of information and details I would have provided in The Hair Tales series, had I been interviewed, which begs the question, had I been omitted? Here’s the story: I was over the moon when approached in the autumn of 2021 about being in several episodes. But, alas, I fell short of their COVID vaccination requirement. Surprisingly, I was only informed of this requirement one week before filming, and at the time, I was still experiencing the side effects of chemotherapy following my bout with colon cancer. I was not interested in subjecting myself to experimental COVID vaccines. However, I was so anxious to be a part of this series, that I was willing to go against my better judgment and get the vaccine, except there was not enough time. I also was not able to secure a medical exemption from my oncologist, so long story short, I couldn’t participate in The Hair Tales after all. I am one of the fortunate ones. To this day, I still haven’t had either the COVID vaccine nor the CORONA virus. Honestly, I breathed a sigh of relief, because, in the end, I didn’t have to compromise my healthcare regimen to be a part of the show. Give thanks!

My new journey is with my botanically-based product company, Anu Essentials. There, I am able to immerse myself in the wonderful world of natural fragrances and essences, which infuse my hair and body products. These botanical elements are also used in my bespoke natural perfumes, and distinctive home fragrances such as raw resin and mystical incense.

In my not-so-humble opinion, The Hair Tales are incomplete without the story of Khamit Kinks. In actuality, a video feed could have been a “safe” option. Despite this, I am so happy that this series is airing. What a pleasure it is to see and hear amazing, beautiful, and talented women share their incredible hair histories. Please watch the series, and you will be in awe of seeing and hearing your own hair story represented by others, again and again. It is a phenomenal look at us, our hair, and all that comes with it. More hair! Read Part 2 The Many Waves of Afrocentric and Natural Hair ~A Series

The Hair Tales, and My Own Hair Tale

The Many Waves of Afrocentric and Natural Hair ~ A Series

National African American Museum of History and Culture – You Should Also be Able to Smell History